I've been asked why I support capital punishment but detest abortion as a Christian. In Genesis 9:4-6, just after the Flood, God declared that one who sheds blood shall his blood be shed. In the Law, murder vs killing is outlined, and the best translation in the Ten Commandments regarding the shedding of blood is "Thou shalt not murder". In the New Testament, Christ never condemned execution of the guilty, for He did not deny justice in the case of the two thieves on the cross next to him. Likewise, the Apostle Paul in Romans 13 speaks of how God uses governments to enact justice on the wicked.
Tragically, we see the opposite of this throughout America and the world today. Abortion, infanticide, euthanasia, homicide, and other forms of murder take place on a regular basis with little or no justice. However, those who commit such crimes are either exonerated with light sentences as is the case with those in many of our "correctional" institutes, or they are never charged with a crime to begin with, which is especially the case with abortion and early infanticide. This directly reflects the worldview in which we live, but it is not new. The Psalms and the Prophets are filled with texts demonstrating such vile behavior, yet God will vindicate the righteous, and His wrath will be ferocious.
Nonetheless, we are commanded to love our enemies and pray for our leaders and the lost as we admonish them to repent of wickedness at the same time. Concurrently, we are commanded to take a stand for the innocent and exalt justice for them, but we must never take vengeance in our hands no matter how enraged we become, for vengeance is the Lord's, and He will repay (Rom 12).
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You should share the Biblical view of war also, since it involves the taking of lives.
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